Brussles, Belgium, 20 March 2012

The EXPERT WORKSHOP on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) brought together European experts on MSP to discuss the latest findings on the development and implementation of MSP, as well as possible ways forward in coordinating maritime spatial plans across borders and sea basins.Input statements were provided by representatives and experts from DG Mare, the current Irish EU Presidency, the Baltic Sea Region-based HELCOM-VASAB Working Group on MSP as well as authors of the BaltSeaPlan Vision 2030 and BaltSeaPlan Findings.Documentation →

Berlin, Germany, 12th January 2012

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) has become a widely acknowledged and necessary tool for co-ordinating spatial use and balancing of interests in the sea. In view of increasing needs to protect the marine environment and at the same time expanding activities such as offshore wind energy parks and growing shipping traffic such systematic, integrative and forward-looking planning is required in order to safeguard the sustainable development of the oceans.

Among the numerous developments on MSP at European level as well as its regions, states and maritime areas, the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) can certainly claim to be the pioneer among European sea regions in the field of MSP. But also here MSP is far from being established practice and many more steps need to be undertaken.

The conference aimed to show and trigger discussions on latest MSP developments at policy as well as implementation level within the European Commission and the Baltic Sea Region. It was attended by about 170 participants including maritime spatial planning experts and decision makers around all European countries.The programme encompassed:

Reception and DinnerThe German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency – BSH, lead partner of BaltSeaPlan, has invited the participants to take part in a reception to be held in the DINOSAUR HALL at the Museum für Naturkunde on the 11th of January 2012, as well as for a dinner that was held on the 12th of January 2012 in Habel Weinkultur.

BaltSeaPlan Workshop Series " New approaches to Maritime Governance"

BaltSeaPlan "Café Scientifique" III

Maritime Spatial Planning for a Sustainable Management of the Sea

Stockholm, Sweden, 27th October 2010

The BaltSeaPlan conference “Maritime Spatial Planning for a Sustainable Management of the Sea” took place in "Piperska Muren", Stockholm. This event was organised by KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden and the Swedish Environment Protection Agency.

The conference was attended by 66 participants including representatives of the DG Mare and of Swedish governmental Agencies and counted with 12 very interesting presentations of a serious of international experts in the area of Maritime Spatial Planning.

The presentations were organised around the following subjects: MSP - Planning Systems And Strategies Under Change, the interim results of the BaltSeaPlan projects interesting for Sweden, the Cross-Baltic Collaboration of Sweden Beyond BaltSeaPlan and Stakeholder involvement in MSP.

Klaipėda, Lithuania, 12th May 2010

In this conference 40 key Lithuanian maritime stakeholders from the associated ministries and authorities, associations, universities and NGOs was held on the the afternoon of 12th of May. VASAB, European Commission (DG Marine Affairs and Fisheries), CBSS representatives and all BaltSeaPlan partners were also present. Main themes the meeting were:

Maritime Spatial Planning and BaltSeaPlan Project

National Integrated Maritime Strategies for Planning and Coordinating Maritime Development

BaltSeaPlan "Café Scientifique" I and II

Maritime spatial planning – how to implement it in Estonia?

Tallinn, Estonia, 26th November 2009

The external event was organised by BEF Estonia in cooperation with the Marine Institute of University of Tartu. Around 80 key Estonian maritime stakeholders from the associated ministries and authorities, port administration, universities and NGOs took part. VASAB and HELCOM representatives and all BaltSeaPlan partners were also present.

BaltSeaPlan Kick-Off Meeting: Planning the future of the Baltic Sea

Stralsund, Germany, 18th June 2009

The official kick-off conference of the BaltSeaPlan project was organised by the WWF Stralsund in cooperation with the lead partner BSH. Around 60 invited guests gathered in the premises of the German Oceanographic Museum to discuss the chances and challenges for this currently biggest initiative on MSP in the Baltic Sea Region.Main contributors where:

BSH introduced the BaltSeaPlan project and its backgroundEuropean Commission, DG MARE, presented the EU Roadmap for MSPGerman federal Ministry for Transport stressed the importance of international cooperation in MSPMecklenburg-Vorpommern Ministry for Transport explained their role in the MSP process

During the afternoon session the pannelists discussed the relevance of the three recently produced MSP guidelines: of the PlanCoast and BALANCE projects and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Some important conclusions for the BaltSeaPlan project could be drawn.